Skinny Dip Author:Carl Hiaasen Charles "Chaz" Perrone fancies himself a take-charge kind of guy. So when this "biologist by default" suspects that his curvaceous wife, Joey, has stumbled onto a profitable pollution scam he's running on behalf of Florida agribusiness mogul Red Hammernut, he sets out right away to solve the problem--by heaving Joey off t... more »he deck of a luxury cruise liner and into the Atlantic Ocean, far from Key West. But -- whoops! -- Joey, a former swimming champ, doesn't drown. Instead, as Carl Hiaasen tells in his 10th adult novel, Skinny Dip, she makes her way back to shore, thanks both to a wayward bale of Jamaican marijuana and lonerish ex-cop Mick Stranahan (Skin Tight, 1989), and then launches a bogus blackmail campaign that's guaranteed to drive her lazy, libidinous hubby into a self-protective frenzy.
You've got to hand it to Hiaasen: He's perfected a formula for crisply written, satirical crime fiction that makes the best use of imaginatively repulsive villains, as well as less thoroughly venal scoundrels and victims who ultimately overcome their antagonists, all while stumping for the preservation of Florida's environment, particularly the Everglades. In Skinny Dip, we find Chaz (who'd rather be golfing than puttering around the "hot, buggy, funky-smelling and treacherous" reaches of nature) falsifying water samples to help Hammernut turn the 'Glades into "God’s septic tank."
That scheme, though, is endangered not just by Joey's sudden disappearance, but by the suspicions of a python-loving police detective and Chaz's own outstanding inability to tame his Viagra-enhanced tumescence. Even by assigning Chaz a baby-sitter -- the hulking, hirsute, and painkiller-addicted Tool -- Hammernut can't keep his pet biologist out of trouble.
As Joey and Stranahan unfold their revenge plot, and Tool's conscience grows in competition with Chaz's ego, the reader can only marvel at the extent of the train wreck ahead. As much fun as Hiaasen has delivering Chaz his climactic comeuppance, what's missing from Skinny Dip is a more complex, more credible development of Mick Stranahan's character and the relationship he builds with the much younger Joey Perrone. Like Erin Grant, from Strip Tease, Joey has far more going for her than her bra-cup size; but "hero" Stranahan is of far less interest here than any of his fellow players.« less
This was a funny book - with "dark" humor. Joey figured out that she had married a jerk when her husband threw her off a cruise ship. What Chaz Perrone didn't figure on was that his beautiful wife was also a championship swimmer. Joey manages to save herself from drowning - and is rescued by an ex-cop named Mick Stranaham. With Mick's assistance, Joey comes up with a plan for revenge on her husband. Carl Hiaasen always writes up wacky characters and this book is no exception ... a great, funny beach read!
Great book! This is the first book I have read by this author and I definitely will read another one of his books. It is great for the beach and a very fast read.
If you know Hiaasen then this is one you don't want to miss. If you don't know him he has a slightly twisted sense of humor where the good guy always wins. He can go to the dark side of humor in humans but we all know they are out there. Always funny stuff.
Excellent read. I'm addicted to Carl Hiaasen. I am reading back to back Hiaasen books. The developement of character and plot more than holds my attention. Can't read them fast enough.
Not many books can make me laugh out loud, but this one did many times. I'm not sure where Hiaasen comes up with ideas for his books, but he knows how to write.
I fully enjoyed this book. There are great characters - bad guys, good guys, good bad guys - all entertaining and they all keep you guessing. Great descriptions of Florida and the variety of people who lurk there.